Jeanne Meserve

Jeanne Meserve is a moderator who brings energy and insight to every event. Her knack for asking the right question, listening, and following up gives panel discussions direction, purpose and power. Her meticulous research, wide range of knowledge, and years of experience managing conversations on television, have made her a go-to moderator, facilitator, emcee, and host for organizations all around the world.

Jeanne Meserve is a moderator who brings energy and insight to every event. Her knack for asking the right question, listening, and following up gives panel discussions direction, purpose and power. Her meticulous research, wide range of knowledge, and years of experience managing conversations on television, have made her a go-to moderator, facilitator, emcee, and host for organizations all around the world.

Awards

Emmy Award Winner Jeanne Meserve

Jeanne Meserve has been an anchor and correspondent for CNN and ABC News, winning two Emmy Awards, and an Edward R. Murrow Award. She also contributed to two CNN Peabody Awards for coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Oil Spill, and anchored CNN’s award-winning coverage of Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination and the death of Princess Diana.

Meserve moderates on a wide array of subjects for groups including the Halifax International Security Forum, the International Women’s Forum, the Munich Security Conference, and the American Red Cross. In 2016 she conducted town hall meetings with six Republican presidential contenders on national security issues for Americans for Peace, Prosperity and Security.

As Director of Training at The Communication Center she provided communication coaching to corporate leaders, government officials, and representatives of educational institutions and non-profit organizations around the world. She has written two books for The Communication Center, The Media Interview: Smart Messages, Strong Delivery and The Presentation: Masterful Messages, Dynamic Delivery.

Meserve currently serves as a member of the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity, a bipartisan consortium of leaders from the US and Europe in the fields of politics, technology, media and business. The group is working to identify emerging threats to free and fair elections, and develop strategies to mitigate them. She is also a member of the Aspen Institute Homeland Security Group, and the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle. She was formerly a fellow at the George Washington University Center for Cyber and Homeland Security.

In the immediate aftermath of the September 11th attacks Meserve established the homeland security beat for CNN. On the ground in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, she was the first to report on the devastating flooding inundating portions of the city. Among her other assignments: the Washington snipers, the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping, and the Virginia Tech shootings. She was a key member of the CNN political team during the 1996 and 2000 elections, and as State Department correspondent for ABC News she reported from China, the Middle East and Europe.

Meserve received a B.A. in English Literature from Middlebury College, and is a recipient of the college’s Alumni Achievement Award.

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“Jeanne Meserve is one of the best moderators in the business. Just as comfortable with heads of state as with ordinary voters, she always guides the discussion in refreshing, stimulating, and often unexpected ways.”

- Peter Van Praagh, President, Halifax International Security Forum

“For every program that Jeanne is part, the caliber and quality of the event rises exponentially. She does her homework; respects the talent and information she engages; and makes sure the audience is a full shareholder in the program from beginning to end. If you have the opportunity to work with her – DO IT! She is a joy to work with.”

“Jeanne Meserve has been a tremendous talent and resource for the American Red Cross, helping us turn our frontline communicators into confident spokespeople. Jeanne’s previous experience as a national media anchor and correspondent provides her with a unique perspective to prepare us for tough media interviews while keeping focus on the organization’s key messages and ensuring the right information is shared with the public.”

“Jeanne Meserve is an exceptionally adept moderator. She clearly prepares for each engagement with the rigor and professionalism that you would accept from a person with her distinguished and decorated background. Jeanne provides both valuable insights as well as a sense of humor that ensures the on-stage production is well received. Behind the scenes, Jeanne makes sure that all the speakers and members of the audience know what to expect and are able to fully participate in fulsome discussions. We will use Jeanne again and again. She is simply the best.”

-Maryscott Greenwood, Chief Executive Officer Canadian American Business Council

Moderating Services

Jeanne Meserve moderates one-on-one interviews, panel discussions and townhall-style meetings for organizations all over the world.

Skills developed as an anchor and reporter give Jeanne the ability to home in on key issues, create a highly interactive dialogue, and synthesize information. She believes a good discussion should be energetic, informative, and thought provoking.

She deeply researches each subject, and each participant, to determine the theme and trajectory of each conversation, give it impact and bring it to a meaningful conclusion.

Conference Consultant

Jeanne can develop content for your next conference. She brainstorms with her clients to create events that are relevant and compelling, generating ideas for topics and guests for panel discussions and one-on-one interviews, as well as video and interactive elements. She will also write conference content, such as opening and concluding remarks. She will not only brief moderators, but can provide them with a script that includes a narrative to frame the discussion, and questions for the panel. The goal is always to produce a dynamic, highly-interactive discussion that meets the needs and interests of the audience.

Speaker

Communication is the centerpiece of Jeanne’s career. As an anchor and reporter, communications coach, and as a moderator, her job has always been to impart information in a manner that is clear, concise and compelling. She speaks to a wide range of groups on topics ranging from media, to communication and national security, to women’s issues.

On Camera and Voice Over Talent

Her years in television and radio are testimony to Jeanne’s abilities in front of the microphone and camera. Since leaving journalism she has been a “news anchor” in preparedness exercises, done voice overs for events, products and book trailers, and provided interviews for a podcast. Her experience and versatility make her a good fit for a broad spectrum of projects.

Writer

Jeanne is all about writing, whether you are talking about scripts, articles, speeches, or evaluations. She has penned two training books for The Communication Center on media interviews and presentations, and is currently working on one of her own.

Latest News and Events

At this prestigious gathering of world leaders, ministers, lawmakers, diplomats and policy experts Jeanne moderated events on the potential for conflict in space, strategies for protecting space infrastructure, and how to promote innovation in the [...]

With the European election in May, the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity is urging politicians to sign a pledge committing to standards of behavior that will help mitigate the impact of election meddling. Jeanne moderated [...]

The US, Canada, and Mexico have hammered out a new trilateral trade agreement, but what are the prospects for ratification? Jeanne emceed an event hosted by the Canadian American Business Council that discussed the prospects. [...]

What is the state of space in 2019, and what challenges and opportunities does it present for commercial space companies? Jeanne led a robust and far-ranging discussion with industry representatives at the National Press Club, [...]

In Copenhagen, Jeanne joined former Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, former Secretary General of NATO Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former presidents of Mexico and Estonia, and others, for the [...]

The Chief of Canada’s Armed Forces, and the first female four-star US Air Force general were among those discussing the value of diversity in the armed forces and other security fields. The panel at the [...]